Locals Grieve Over Loss of Copco Lake, Wildlife During California’s Klamath Dam Removal

A number of fish and at least 10 deer have died in the removal process, part of the state’s plan to reintroduce salmon to its native habitat.

Volunteers attempt to rescue two deer that were stuck in mud in Copco Lake, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2024, after officials began draining the lake as part of a process to remove two dams. The two deer were later euthanized by state fish and wildlife personnel after rescue attempts failed. Courtesy of Hornbrook Fire Protection District

Residents in the small lakeside community of Copco Lake, California, near the Oregon border, said they were in shock on Feb. 2 after watching a 100-year-old lake drain in a matter of days.

Over the course of five days, locals in the tranquil community watched their lake disappear and fish and wildlife die off as the water drained into the Klamath River.